Kettering University remains #1 in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering in the country; is #7 in Mechanical Engineering, and the University improved on its rank in both the Midwest and the United States, according to the 2013 Best Colleges edition released by U.S. News & World Report Sept. 12.

Kettering University is a ‘best college’ in the U.S.!

#1 in Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering in the country
#7 in Mechanical Engineering in the country
#14 -- Best Regional Universities: Midwest
#17 – Best in Undergraduate Engineering in the country

Kettering’s category is undergraduate engineering schools, whose highest degree offered is a bachelor’s or master’s degree. 

Kettering Provost Robert Simpson said that while the ‘Best Colleges’ rankings and data are among the most debated lists in higher education, they offer an excellent opportunity to reflect on the University’s new momentum and refocused attention on being a leading Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) university.

“This year’s rankings reinforce Kettering’s strategic visioning work being led by our new President Bob McMahan,” Simpson said. “Kettering has a renewed commitment to develop the next generation of leaders for the STEM fields.

“I applaud the members of the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering for retaining the #1 ranking,” Simpson said. “Their efforts bring national recognition to our University and will provide leadership during a critical re-evaluation period in American manufacturing.

Simpson said improvements in both the regional and national rankings can be attributed to the efforts and new energy President McMahan has brought to campus. “This is a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge the terrific efforts of our faculty, staff and students who strive to do their best all year long.”  

#1 in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Kettering’s Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department is again ranked #1 in the country in its category – “Best in Undergraduate Engineering at schools whose highest degree is a bachelor’s or master’s.” 

Dr. W.L. Scheller, department head of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (IME) said Kettering takes pride in dominating this category for more than a decade. “It is a great honor being recognized again as the top program in our field,” Scheller said. “The IME faculty members at Kettering University work very hard to keep our program at the cutting edge of education.

“I believe that’s why our students are in such high demand for cooperative education positions with major corporations, as well as at graduation,” Scheller continued. “Our IME students have not only learned about the profession, but they have worked on a wide variety of professional projects both in school and at their cooperative education employers.”

Scheller said the IME faculty members are in the midst of reinvigorating their focus on manufacturing, starting with a commitment to produce engineers capable of providing top level services to manufacturers of plastic goods. “This is a commitment of people, equipment, time and funds,” he explained.

“Kettering is partnering with the plastics industry in order to meet this challenge,” Scheller said. “Meeting the challenge not only involves teaching students the uses and optimization of plastics processes, but making them capable in areas such as automation and robotics as well. Great opportunities exist for graduates of IME capable of not only working with plastics processes, but knowing how to integrate industrial robots and automation as tools for maximizing productivity.”

#7 – Mechanical Engineering 

The Mechanical Engineering Department is ranked #7 in the country.

Dr. Craig Hoff, department head of Mechanical Engineering, said “being ranked in the Top Ten in the country is an honor in today's marketplace. A Kettering ME education is focused on developing industry-ready young engineers,” Hoff continued. “We will continue to work with our industry partners to prepare our students for the demanding jobs of the future.”

Mechanical Engineering

1. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (IN)

2. California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo (CA)

3. Cooper Union (NY)

3. United States Military Academy (NY)

3. United States Naval Academy (MD)

6. Harvey Mudd (CA)

7. Kettering University (MI)

8. United States Air Force Academy (CO)

9. Bucknell University (PA)

9. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering (MA)

#14 – Best Regional Universities: Midwest

Kettering is again ranked as a Best Regional University – Midwest.

Kettering improved on its Midwest standing from last year’s #16 tie in the Best Regional University – Midwest category.

Best Regional Universities: Midwest

1. Creighton University (NE)

2. Butler University (IN)

3. Drake University (IA)

4. Valparaiso University (IN)

4. Xavier University (OH)

6. Bradley University (IL)

7. John Carroll University (OH)

8. Truman State University (MO)

9. Hamline University (MN)

9. University of Evansville (IN)

11. Drury University (MO)

11. Elmhurst College (IL)

13. North Central College (IL)

14. Kettering University (MI)

14. St. Catherine University (MN)

16. Baldwin-Wallace University (OH)

16. Dominican University (IL)

16. Otterbein University (OH)

19. Milwaukee School of Engineering (WI)

20. University of Detroit Mercy (MI)

#17 – Best Undergraduate Engineering U.S.

Kettering improved its national standing from #27 to #17 in the Best Undergraduate Engineering category (without a doctorate).

The move to #17 places Kettering in the Top 20 Best Engineering programs in the country.

2013 Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (without a doctorate):

1. Rose-Hulman Institute of Techology (IN)

2. Harvey Mudd College (CA)

3. United States Military Academy (NY)

4. United States Air Force Academy (CO)

4. United States Naval Academy (MD)

6. Cooper Union (NY)

6. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering (MA)

8. Calif. Polytech. St. U.– San Luis Obispo

9. Bucknell University (PA)

10. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U (FL)

10. U.S. Coast Guard Academy (CT)

10. Villanova University (PA)

13. Baylor University (TX)

14. Calif. State Polytechnic Univ. – Pomona (CA)

14. Milwaukee School of Engineering (WI)

14. Santa Clara University (CA)

17. The Citadel (SC)

17. Embry-Riddle Aero U.- Prescott (AZ)

17. Swarthmore College (PA)

17. Gonzaga University (WA)

17. Kettering University (MI)

17. San Jose State University (CA)

17. Swarthmore College (PA)

17. Union College (NY)

17. Valparaiso University (IN)

Read more on the U.S. News Best Colleges at http://www.usnews.com/

Methodology

The U.S. News ranking system uses quantitative measures that education experts have proposed as reliable indicators of academic quality, and it is based on a researched view of what matters in education. First, schools are categorized by their mission, which is derived from the breakdown of types of higher education institutions as refined by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in 2010. The Carnegie classification has been the basis of the Best Colleges ranking category system since the first ranking was published in 1983, given that it is used extensively as the basis for classifying schools by higher education researchers.

Also, data is gathered from each college on up to 16 indicators of academic excellence. Each factor is assigned a weight that reflects a judgment about how much a measure matters. Finally, the colleges and universities in each category are ranked against their peers, based on their composite weighted score. (A more detailed explanation can be found at www.usnews.com/collegemeth.) 

The 2013 edition of the Best Colleges guidebook is available at USNews.com and will be on newsstands Sept. 18.